Woman's Killer Sentenced To Life In Jail

The Man Stabbed The Victim About 50 Times When She Tried To Run Away After An Argument.

January 30, 2004|By Anthony Colarossi, Sentinel Staff Writer

An Orange County jury has found a former supermarket worker guilty of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of a woman last July after an argument over a prostitution deal.

Orange Circuit Judge John Adams sentenced Anthony Arnold, 33, of Orange County to life in prison.

Jurors deliberated about four hours before returning with their verdict late Wednesday afternoon.

Authorities said Arnold's victim, Elisa Beth Torna, 28, was stabbed about 50 times with a pocketknife. The woman's body was found July 29 in a ditch along South Orange Avenue.

Arnold at first told detectives that two men had tried to rob and attack him and Torna. He later said that, after making a deal to pay Torna to have sex, she became upset and began attacking him while they sat in a car.

Torna left the car, and a witness heard the woman screaming "Security, security" as she ran across a parking lot.

Arnold followed Torna, took her pocketknife and stabbed her in the neck during a struggle.

"Arnold stated he continued to stab her out of anger," a police report said.

Torna's naked body was found facedown in the ditch. Her clothing, purse and shoes were scattered across the parking lot.